Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018
(Tuscany, Italy) - [WE 94] [VM 93] [JS 93] [DM 92] [WA 91]

About the Winery:
Il Palazzone was acquired by Americans Kirsten and Peter Kern in June 2021. Kirsten comes from the culinary world and her husband is Vice Chairman and CEO of Expedia Group. The previous owner, also American, was Richard Parsons, formerly of Time Warner and City Group. Kirsten and Peter Kern are passionate about Italian wine and Brunello and had long been looking for a property to buy. They are planting an additional 2.2 hectares of vines this year at a cool 580 meters above sea level. High elevation fruit is critical to maintaining freshness in the wines, especially in the face of climate change.

Harvest Notes:
The 2018 was a vintage that reminded us of a different time, when the growing season could be defined as warm and not hot or torrid as happened in most of the past few years. The winter was characterised by average rainfall and some snow, first in February and then in March, which luckily made up for the considerable lack of water of the past year. There were some rainy days during the first week of September, with maximum temperatures about 30°C which guaranteed a good ripening of the grapes. Heavy rainfall and temperatures of around 20°C from the second half of September forced us to quickly bring the Sangiovese harvest forward in order to ensure the grape’s health. Harvest beginning 25th September 2018.

Tasting Notes:
The color is a beautiful ruby-red with garnet-red hints. The nose opens with aromas of cherry and plum followed by sweet spices and dried rose petals. The wood is very well integrated and acts as a sounding board for the aroma without conditioning it. Juicy on the palate with good acidity and progressive and elegant tannins showing dynamism and personality. The greater cleanliness in the aromas show excellent work in the cellar. Mineral on the finish with citrusy notes. This is a wine of promise that will benefit enormously from time in the cellar. It has all the character and austerity of traditional Brunello.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"On the nose, aromas of vanilla, strawberry, cherry, rose water and citrus blossom create an overall sweet, floral feeling. The palate introduces a tarter fruit element, along with notes of metallic and bitter earth for balance and intrigue. Tannins are substantial yet pliant, while acid stands its ground." - Danielle Callegari (Sep 2024)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"Bright cherries and orange fruit here with bergamot and balsamic. Juicy and fruit-forward, with a full body and ripe, sleek tannins. Touch of sweet and salty adds interest. Drink from 2023." (Dec 2022)

93 Points - Vinous Media:
"More like an exotic herbal tea than wine, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino lifts from the glass with a menagerie of foreign spices, wild herbs and dried red fruits. This is elegant and finessed, with vibrant acidity enlivening its tart wild berry fruits, and pretty inner rose tones that evolve toward the close. Nuances of licorice and sour cherry linger on, as the 2018 finishes light on structure but big on character. This is so enjoyable already that it’s hard to imagine waiting, but do make sure to cellar this for at least a year or two for the full effect." - Eric Guido (Oct 2022)

92 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"This brings together fruit from cool northwest-facing plots, at 540 metres near the town of Montalcino, with warmer, lower-lying vineyards in the region’s southeast. The 2018 saw a slightly shorter maceration – just two weeks as opposed to three. Taking time to come into focus, the nose suggests attractive strawberry blossom, cinnamon and rosehip. The palate is lean and clear fruited with red currants and lots of mineral nuance packed in. The tannins are tightly wound and sinewy, giving texture and backbone, and the sappy acidity is positively scrumptious. Beautifully balanced in its proportions. - Michaela Morris (Nov 2022)

91 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The Il Palazzone 2018 Brunello di Montalcino offers ripe fruit and lots of spice over an open-knit and accessible mouthfeel. Like some of the other wines from this vintage, this Brunello shows some evolution and a more oxidative approach that bodes well for near and medium-term drinking. It closes with sour cherry, black olive, grilled herb and toasted oak spice." - Monica Lerner (Mar 2023)